


Untitled

by supercilious



Category: Avengers: The Initiative, Marvel 616
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-06-21
Updated: 2011-06-21
Packaged: 2017-10-29 08:03:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,098
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/317620
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/supercilious/pseuds/supercilious
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>One character, ten songs: A look at his feelings on the Initiative, on leaving, on his powers, on his heritage.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Untitled

**  
30 Seconds to Mars - A Modern Myth   
**

> They're kind of funny to think about— cults. Not that he imagined there was any real difference between a cult and most organized religions, save some several hundred years' worth of modernization, but there was an entirely different feeling to a cult house than that of walking into a church.
> 
> Though when they were both abandoned, they both had that eerie feeling that made his hairs stand on end and sent a chill down his spine.
> 
> He'd come to the building he'd seen in his dreams, the one Nightmare had shown him, but there was no one here now. Nothing but dust, some books they'd forgotten and the odd rat.
> 
> There was nothing of use here, he couldn't even tell if the cult had dissolved or just relocated. Turning the pages in a damp, old book, he briefly considered burning the place to the ground. A way to send a message to the old man.
> 
> Just a way to say _hello_.

**  
Nine Inch Nails - The Hand That Feeds   
**

> It was when Osborn took over. That's when he's _really_ started to question himself.
> 
> Vaguely, ( _oh god_ , so vaguely. What was happening to him?) he remembered having a session with someone The Hood had brought in. Some guy who couldn't care less about what the Initiative was _supposed_ to be for; he just wanted a chance to take down as many people as he could.
> 
> It was for the best, he'd convinced himself. He had to do what he could for his family. Even if they never had him back— if he never sat down to another family dinner. It was still worth it.
> 
> Even still, he envied the ones who'd had the courage to defect - found himself silently cheering for them when he saw them on the news, hoping without hope that they could make a difference.
> 
> More than anything, he'd become a coward. And he hated himself for it.

**  
Drive-By Argument - Disco Storm   
**

> He tried to smile, practiced in the mirror since more than one person had said it was unnerving being counseled by someone who always looked grouchy. ("Either that or lose the make-up," Komodo had told him.)
> 
> It wasn't working.
> 
> Every time he tried to smile, he ended up looking like either some kind of pervert or a serial killer.
> 
> With a sigh, he rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand and gave up on that venture.
> 
> Maybe putting a bowl of candy on his desk would help instead.

**  
Drive-By Argument - Left, Left, Walk Forward, Get on the Dragon   
**

> Truth be told, he'd always known he was different. It was hard to explain, figured maybe he just didn't do well with people. He was cool with what he had.
> 
> _Oh_ if only he'd known just how different he was. After the fact, he kept telling himself he should've known— should've prepared. Because now he knew better than anyone that all it took to turn your life upside down was a few minutes.
> 
> Really, he'd mentally started packing before the Initiative had ever come up. The day his dad took him to the bus was just confirmation. There were no hugs, no tearful goodbyes - which told him everything he needed to know.
> 
> He wasn't coming back here again.

**  
Lupe Fiasco - Superstar   
**

> The day after his funeral, he'd barely been able to take a step without someone stopping him to say something or ask a question.
> 
> "Did you know you could do that?"  
>  "So _what are you_ anyway?"  
>  "Pretty shitty of you to pull a trick like that."
> 
> He barely knew what to do with himself, the last time he'd gotten this much attention was after he punched an older kid in middle school. (He went home later covered in garbage with a black eye, it was a pretty short-lived buzz.)
> 
> A week later, just when he was contemplating hiding in someone else's office, the whole thing died down suddenly. Someone in one of the other teams had grown his head back after a particularly gruesome fight. He was a miniature celebrity.
> 
> Admittedly, Trauma missed the buzz a little, but mostly he was just relieved to be able to go to lunch again without someone telling him what an asshole he was.

**  
Tim Minchin - Not Perfect   
**

> There's a funny thing about boot camp where it can breed insecurity where there wasn't any before.
> 
> Trauma leaned against a wall of the complex, watching some of the new recruits run an assault course. He was in a lot better shape than he was when he'd gotten here, but there was a good handful of these kids he still wouldn't be able to keep up with.
> 
> His expression softened some when he saw Physique coming over - she'd even been nice enough to bring an extra coffee for him.
> 
> "Miss it?" She asked, coming over to lean on the wall next to him.
> 
> He had to take a moment to consider the question, a little surprised that he even had to think about it in the first place and shook his head, "not even a little."

**  
My Chemical Romance - Thank You for the Venom   
**

> He was always more powerful when he was angry. Drunk on rage and fury, it made the monster— made _him_ a little bit... Hungry.
> 
> So maybe he should thank them for that - Osborn and the Hood and everyone who'd given him a little reserve fuel for the journey.
> 
> He wasn't usually the vengeful type, but whenever he found this Karl guy, they were going to have some words.

**  
Linkin Park - Faint   
**

> Never really one for melodrama, Terry almost has to laugh at what a show stealer his power could be. Abby had mentioned it to him, said it was like watching a cat turn into a T-Rex.
> 
> Part of him had to wonder, maybe it was so explosive because he always kept everything to himself, disliked having attention drawn his way.
> 
> Funny little question, that.

**  
Feeling Good - Muse   
**

> Leaving the Initiative was like a breath of fresh air.
> 
> Even if he'd slept in his car the night before and managed to get into an argument with some guy in a traffic jam about his taste in music, it was a hell of an improvement on the past months.
> 
> Terry knew, technically speaking, he was a criminal now. A "registration offender" since he took off from Camp HAMMER, but the whole thing was oddly freeing. Knowing he'd never have to hand in another report to Osborn or worry about having his files broken into again?
> 
> God, he could almost laugh.

  



End file.
